In July this year he had formed some scheme of mental improvement, the particular purpose of which does not appear.  But we find in his Prayers and Meditations, p. 25, a prayer entitled ’On the Study of Philosophy, as an Instrument of living;’ and after it follows a note, ’This study was not pursued.’

On the 13th of the same month he wrote in his Journal the following scheme of life, for Sunday: 

‘Having lived’ (as he with tenderness of conscience expresses himself) ’not without an habitual reverence for the Sabbath, yet without that attention to its religious duties which Christianity requires;

’1.  To rise early, and in order to it, to go to sleep early on Saturday.

’2.  To use some extraordinary devotion in the morning.

’3.  To examine the tenour of my life, and particularly the last week; and to mark my advances in religion, or recession from it.

’4.  To read the Scripture methodically with such helps as are at hand.

’5.  To go to church twice.

’6.  To read books of Divinity, either speculative or practical.

’7.  To instruct my family.

‘8.  To wear off by meditation any worldly soil contracted in the week.’

1756:  AETAT. 47.]—­In 1756 Johnson found that the great fame of his Dictionary had not set him above the necessity of ’making provision for the day that was passing over him.’  No royal or noble patron extended a munificent hand to give independence to the man who had conferred stability on the language of his country.  We may feel indignant that there should have been such unworthy neglect; but we must, at the same time, congratulate ourselves, when we consider that to this very neglect, operating to rouse the natural indolence of his constitution, we owe many valuable productions, which otherwise, perhaps, might never have appeared.

He had spent, during the progress of the work, the money for which he had contracted to write his Dictionary.  We have seen that the reward of his labour was only fifteen hundred and seventy-five pounds; and when the expence of amanuenses and paper, and other articles are deducted, his clear profit was very inconsiderable.  I once said to him, ’I am sorry, Sir, you did not get more for your Dictionary.’  His answer was, ’I am sorry, too.  But it was very well.  The booksellers are generous, liberal-minded men.’  He, upon all occasions, did ample justice to their character in this respect.  He considered them as the patrons of literature; and, indeed, although they have eventually been considerable gainers by his Dictionary, it is to them that we owe its having been undertaken and carried through at the risk of great expence, for they were not absolutely sure of being indemnified.